Trump signed two executive orders requiring United States federal agencies to accelerate the development of quantum computing and to assess in advance the impact of future quantum computing on the existing encryption system. The White House places this on the science and technology competition and national security agenda, while the encryption industry is more concerned with back-quant code migration.
Federal agencies start quantum deployment.
One of the executive orders established the QC-ADDS programme to promote the application of advanced quantum computers. The United States Department of Energy is required to provide technology needs within 90 days and to facilitate the deployment of at least one system at federal research facilities.
The United States Department of Commerce will also look into how to engage private quantum computing firms. At the same time, agencies such as NASA, the Ministry of Energy, the National Science Foundation and the Ministry of Commerce need to develop a five-year Quantum Sensory and Quantum Network Development Plan.
Post Quantum Password Access Assessment
More of the concern of the encryption industry is that the executive order requires intelligence agencies to assess the possible national security implications of a stronger commercial quantum computer, including the transition to a back-quant code system.
This is related to what is often referred to as the “Q-Day” risk. The term “Q-Day” refers to the point at which a quantum computer has the capability to crack the current mainstream encryption system. Once this capacity emerges, financial networks, government infrastructure and security mechanisms that rely on block-chain wallets may face challenges.
The encryption community is ready.
Quantum computers do not yet pose a real threat, but policymakers and password researchers have consistently called for advance preparation. The Coinbase Independent Password Advisory Board recently suggested that the Bitcoin community should plan a back-to-back quantum password migration path as early as possible.
Discussions around bitcoin also continued. Zhao Chang Peng had previously suggested that a relocation period might be required for the holder if Bitcoin moved to the antiquantified password system in the future. In the case of ETA-related researchers, some of the protective measures could be introduced on the wallet level without waiting for hard crosses.
The Algorand Foundation has published a road map that plans to provide this Layer 1 network with a wider resistance to quantum in terms of accounts, wallets, tools for development, pledge infrastructure and consensus systems by 2027.